Students Expressing Emotions

Students can express their emotions using emotion cards. After the teacher explains what climate anxiety is, students are given word cards with different adjectives. They use these words to describe how they feel:

• In pairs, students explain their feelings to each other and listen to their partner’s thoughts.

• Afterwards, some thoughts from the pair discussions are shared with the whole class.

Teachers can guide the discussion further using the following questions:

• Climate change affects younger generations more, even though they are less responsible for causing it. How does that make you feel?

• Who is responsible for the future of our planet? Is that fair? How does that relate to your feelings of anxiety?

• Do the feelings that came up from these questions help us cope with climate change? Why or why not?

Climate anxiety is a growing issue as more people become aware of the current and future consequences of global warming. The overwhelming scale of climate change can lead to feelings of helplessness, worry, and even physical symptoms of anxiety. However, there are strategies for managing climate anxiety. Below is one possible approach:

Acceptance and Awareness:
Recognizing and accepting your feelings without judgment can help process emotions in a healthy way.

Grounding Techniques:
Focusing on the present moment—such as paying attention to your breathing, using mindfulness, or connecting with your body—can help regulate the nervous system and ease symptoms of anxiety.

Balanced Information:
Instead of spiraling into worry due to negative news, also seek out positive stories and hopeful developments related to climate action and innovation.

Community and Collective Action:
Connecting with others who share similar concerns can reduce feelings of isolation. Taking action together and building a sense of community can create positive change and boost your emotional well-being.

Breathing Exercise – “Complete Breath”
Students can focus on their breathing by inhaling deeply through the nose, holding the breath briefly, and then slowly exhaling through the mouth. This helps calm the mind and reduce anxiety. The exercise can be done for 5–10 minutes to relax and stay present in the moment.

Attention to Nature
Students can go outside into nature or simply look out the window, focusing on natural details – the movement of the wind in tree branches, birds, blossoms, clouds, etc. Observing nature helps the mind calm down and stay focused on the present, offering a pleasant break from lessons and helping to ease anxiety.

Mindful Walking
Students can practice mindful walking by focusing on each step – how the ground feels beneath their feet – and on their breathing. While walking, each student can notice small everyday moments that usually go unnoticed and find peace. Walking mindfully helps to relax and be grounded in the present moment.

Gratitude Journal
Students can write down three things they are grateful for each day. This helps them focus on the positive aspects of life and increases feelings of happiness. Practicing gratitude reduces anxiety and boosts contentment, helping students see life in a more positive light.

Watch a video together of climate activist Greta Thunberg’s speech at the 2019 Climate Action Summit.
After watching the video, guide students to reflect on how climate anxiety can be transformed into climate activism.

Watch the video "How I Turned My Climate Anxiety into Climate Activism".

Students can use Tux Paint to draw how they feel climate change will affect the future and what their own role is in environmental protection. Afterwards, the class discusses which actions and solutions could help improve the world. This activity helps students express their feelings and find creative solutions. The program is free and easy to use. 

Usage instructions 

Kasutusjuhend

Activity: "What More Can We Do?"
Students can create a list of possible actions they can take in their daily lives to reduce their ecological footprint. For example, how to reduce waste, save water or energy, or make transportation more environmentally friendly. Through discussion, students can share ideas and learn how everyone’s contribution matters.

Movements Standing Up for Nature
Research various organizations or individuals who have taken action against climate change. Share your findings with the class to inspire others.

Discussions and Critical Thinking
Discuss what climate optimism means. What positive changes would you like to see in the future, and what can we do ourselves to achieve them? These discussions help students understand that even small steps can lead to big changes.

Supporting Local Conservation Projects
Collaborate with local conservation organizations or initiate a small project in your community, such as planting trees or cleaning up litter. Such activities help students feel the value and impact of their actions.

Share Positive Stories
Research positive news and actions related to environmental protection. Compile a collection of positive news and share it with others.

• Weigh how much plastic and waste paper is collected in the classroom in one day.

• Make a bar chart showing how many students walk to school, how many come by bike, and how many by car — how does this affect the environment?

• Use LEGO bricks for the bar charts so that each student is one brick, then draw the chart in a squared notebook.

• Discuss how small choices impact the bigger picture. 

• Exhibitions – visual storytelling through photography or videos capturing the reality of climate impacts;

• Organizing a fashion show made from recycled materials;

• Music – creating climate-themed songs, concerts, and/or theatrical performances. 

Key factors contributing to climate anxiety:

Knowledge of climate change – the more a person understands climate change and its serious consequences, the greater the worry and anxiety about the future. Detailed information about natural disasters, floods, heatwaves, and drought-related changes increases fear.

Extreme weather events – increasingly frequent storms, floods, heatwaves, and droughts can cause anxiety, as these weather changes are directly linked to climate change and create fear about what the future holds.

Uncertainty about the future – climate anxiety often stems from the fear that life on planet Earth will become unbearable. Climate change leads to worsening living conditions, reduced access to food and water supplies, human displacement, and overpopulation, which can in turn lead to conflicts and wars.

Intergenerational concern – many people, especially young people, feel anxious because they worry about the living conditions of their children and future generations.

Natural disasters – wildfires, tsunamis, hurricanes, and floods have become more frequent and intense, which can increase worry and fear about one’s living environment.

Inability to enact rapid change – climate anxiety may arise when people feel that even raising awareness and green initiatives might not be enough to halt the rapid pace of climate change. When political and economic actions seem too slow or insufficient, this can cause anxiety and feelings of hopelessness.

At-risk groups for climate anxiety include young people who know they will live their entire lives in changing environmental conditions, as well as low-income and vulnerable communities whose daily lives are closely tied to the climate and who have fewer resources to adapt to new situations.

To combat climate anxiety, it is important to take active steps both individually and collectively, creating positive changes that help reduce fear and increase hope for a better future.

Slaidid 

Lesson Plan with Learning Outcomes